BNP will finalise its candidate for the Thakurgaon-1 by-election on September 18 following a decision by the party’s nomination board, BNP Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said Saturday night.

The by-election to the Thakurgaon-1 constituency will be held on October 29.

Rizvi disclosed the decision after a meeting of the BNP Standing Committee at the party chairman’s Gulshan office in the capital.

The meeting was chaired by BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. This is the committee’s third meeting since the party formed the government on February 12 this year.

Rizvi said the by-election will be held in the Thakurgaon-1 seat of BNP former Secretary General and incumbent President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on October 29.

“Those who want to contest the election will collect nomination forms from the BNP central office in Nayapaltan on September 15, as per the party’s decision. The collected nomination forms will be submitted the following day, September 16. The candidate will be finalised on September 18 based on the decision of the nomination board, which is the party’s National Standing Committee,” he said.

Rizvi, however, said no discussion was held at the meeting about the party council.

Rizvi also said the BNP Standing Committee took several decisions to prevent dengue.

He said BNP will conduct extensive publicity campaigns across the country to raise awareness about dengue.

“Mosquito nets will be supplied to district- and upazila-level hospitals. Besides, a leaflet prepared with the help of renowned doctors and experts on dengue prevention will be distributed across the country, including Dhaka,” he said.

Rizvi said, according to the meeting’s decision, awareness-raising measures on dengue prevention will be disseminated through social media, mass media, radio and television.

“The meeting also discussed arranging bins for disposing of garbage at schools, madrasas and marketplaces,” he said.

He said BNP will take all necessary initiatives to raise awareness and prevent dengue.

Rizvi said the meeting also discussed several organisational issues.

“One of the organisational issues discussed was that in many of our party committees, some members have died, while others are no longer with the party for various reasons, including expulsion. There are vacant posts in those committees,” he said.

He said the party would consider promoting those immediately below the vacant posts in accordance with the provisions of the BNP constitution.

“Whether those who are immediately below them can be promoted to those vacant posts will be considered, and necessary measures will be taken in accordance with the provisions of the party constitution. This was also discussed at the meeting,” Rizvi said.

BNP Standing Committee members Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Local Government Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, BNP Chairman’s Political Adviser Mirza Abbas MP, Dhaka-3 MP Gayeshwar Chandra Roy,  BNP Chairman’s Political Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan, and Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury were present at the meeting.

Also present were Begum Selima Rahman, Amanullah Aman, Dr Farhad Halim Doner, Ismail Zabihullah.

The BNP Standing Committee last met on August 1 at night. 

On August 15, BNP included four new members in its National Standing Committee. This is the first meeting of the committee with the new members.

The new members are Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Amanullah Aman, Dr Farhad Halim Doner and Ismail Zabihullah.